Notre Dame is going with Guerby Lambert at right guard on Sunday night vs. Miami.
The No. 6-ranked Fighting Irish are rolling with the redshirt freshman offensive lineman over Sullivan Absher, a key backup from last season and redshirt junior who entered preseason training camp with the first team.
Whether it was Lambert or Absher, they would have both made their first career start against the No. 10 Hurricanes. Notably, the former was a five-star recruit, according to On3’s rankings. Lambert ultimately replaces redshirt sophomore Charles Jagusah, who was the starter coming out of spring ball. However, on July 5, Jagusah fractured his left humerus during a UTV accident in Wyoming. It sidelined him for the start of the season.
Lambert’s rise as a starter comes after a shoulder injury cut his spring short. The 6-foot-7, 335-pounder’s potential offseason emergence was a storyline entering April, while he looked to challenge for a starting spot. It was a tall task though, since Notre Dame’s four other first-teamers on the offensive line — left tackle Anthonie Knapp, left guard Billy Schrauth, center Ashton Craig and right tackle Aamil Wagner — all started games last season. Schrauth, Craig and Wagner are redshirt juniors, and Knapp is a true sophomore.
Although Knapp started 15 of 16 games at left tackle last season, Lambert was the top prospect in ND’s class. According to the Rivals Industry Ranking — a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all three primary recruiting media services — he was the No. 2 offensive tackle and No. 18 overall recruit nationally and No. 1 prospect out of Massachusetts.
Yet, Lambert’s development has taken slightly longer than Knapp’s. The West Roxbury (Mass.) Catholic Memorial product only began playing football in high school and did not enroll at Notre Dame until June 2024. Still, it only took him 14 months to start making his presence felt in practice. His emergence reached the point where the Irish awarded him the starting spot.
“No. 1, he’s a big, strong dude who can put his hands on people and play really physical,” Denbrock told reporters earlier this summer. “And then pass protection-wise, moving from tackle to guard and having a couple guys on either side of you, I think has almost helped him feel more comfortable not being so much like he’s out there on an island by himself. So, his pass protection has really improved as well.”
Lambert appeared in six games — three regular-season — as a freshman, effectively preserving his redshirt. All of his non-special teams snaps came at right tackle. But now, Sunday night in Miami, they’ll start at right guard.